Christ dyd chose his membres before the world was made and howe could he chose them that yet were not but in hys predestintion he chase vs then predestinating vs but would he chose the vngodly vncleane For yf the question be preponed whether God doth chose these or rather the holy blameles what wyl he aunswere that shall be demaunded wyl he not by and by geue sentence for the sayntes and the blameles He knewe therfore aforehande sayeth the Pelagian whych should be saintes blameles The pelagian through the choise of frewyl and therfore before the world was made he chase thē in that hys foreknowlege wherby he knewe aforehāde that they would be such He dyd therfore sayeth he chose them before they were predestinatyng sonnes whome he knewe aforehande would be holy and blameles certeinly he made them not so neither sawe aforehande that he would make them but onlye sawe aforehande that they would so be Let vs then consyder the wordes of thapostle S. aug and se whether he dyd therfore chose vs before the world was made because we were to be holy and wythout blame or rather that we myght be so Blessed sayeth he is god and the father of our Lord Jesu Christ whych hath blessed vs wyth all maner of spirituall blessyng in heauenlye thynges in Christe euen as he dyd chose vs in him before the making of the world that we myght be holye and wythout blame Not because then that we were to be but that we myghte be For it is certeine for it is manyfest The fonteyne of grace for therfore we wer to be such because he had chosen vs predestinatynge that we myghte be made suche thorowe hys grace He therfore blessed vs after thys maner wyth all spirituall blessyng in heauenly thinges in Christ Iesu euen as he chase vs in hym before the makynge of the worlde that we might be holy and blameles in his sight in charitie predestinating vs to make vs his sōnes by adopcion thorough Iesu Christ thorough the selfe same Furthermore marke what he addeth accordynge to the pleasure sayeth he of hys wyl lest that in so excellent a gyfte of goddes grace Goddes Wylle we should glorye in the pleasure of our owne wyll wherin sayeth he he hathe made vs accepted in hys beloued sōne in the whiche his wyll vndoubtedly he hathe made vs accepted It is so sayd he hath made vs accepted thoroughe grace as it is said he hath iustified vs thorough ryghtfulnes In whō sayeth he we haue redempcion thorough hys blood the remission of synnes accordyng to the ryches of his grace which grace hath ben plentefully in vs in all wysedome and prudence that he might shewe vnto vs the secrete of his wil accordyng vnto hys good wyll In thys mystery of hys wyl he hath put the ryches of hys grace accordyng to hys good wyll not accordynge to oures whych can not be good except he accordyng to hys good wyll should helpe that it myght be made good Mans wille But when he had sayd accordyng to hys good wyll he added whych he purposed in hym that is in hys beloued sonne when the tyme was fully come to repayre all thynges in Christe bothe the thynges that are in heauen and also the thinges that are in earth in the selfe same in whome also we are made heires beyng therto predestinate accordynge to the purpose of hym whych worketh all thynges accordyng to the coūcel of his owne wyl that we myght be to the praise of his glory It would be verilōge to dispute of euery thynge But ye do perceiue vndoubtedly ye do perceyue The apostolife doetrine defēdeth grace agenst the extollares of merites howe manyfestly this grace is defended by thapostles doctrine agaynst the whych mans merites are extolled as tho mā should first gyue somwhat vnto God that he myght be recompensed God dyd therfore chose vs in Christe before the worlde was made predestinating vs to make vs hys sonnes by adoptiō not because we were to be by our owne strength holy and blameles but he chase vs and predestinated vs that we myghte be But thys dyd he accordynge to the pleasure of his owne wyll that no mā should glorye of his owne wyl but onlye of hys good wyll towardes hym he dyd this accordinge to the ryches of his grace accordyng to his good wil which he purposed in his beloued sonne in whōe we are made heyres predestinate not according to our purpose but according to the purpose of him that worketh all thinges in so muche that he dothe worke in vs the wil also But he doth work according to the councell of his owne will Wille that we might be to the praise of his glory This is the cause that we crye out that no man should glory in man and by that neither should glori in hymselfe but that he whiche dothe glorye should glory in the Lorde that we may be to the prayse of his glorye For he doth worke certeinlye according to his owne purpose that we may be to the prayse of his glori holi blameles for the which cause he hath called vs predestinating vs before the makinge of the worlde Calling according to purpose Ro. ◠11. Vpon this his purpose is grounded that peculiar callinge of the chosen vnto whome al thinges worke to the beste because the saintes ar called according to purpose and the gyftes and calling of God are without repentaunce The .xix. Chapter BVt these our brethren of whome we now speake and for whose sake we nowe write do paraduenture saye that the Pelagians are cōfuted by this testimonye of the Apostle where he sayth that we are therfore chosen in Christ predestinate before the making of the worlde Ephe. 1. that we should be holye and blameles in his syght in charitie for thei suppose that whē we haue receiued the commaundementes that now by our own strēgth by the choise of free wyll we are made holy blameles in his syght in charitie which thyng say they because God knewe aforehande woulde be therfore he chase predestinated vs in Christ before the makyng of the worlde when as yet thapostle sayeth that not because he knewe aforehande that we would be suche but that we might be suche thorough the selfe election of his grace Goddes owne worke wherby he hath made vs accepted in his beloued Therfore when he dyd predestinate vs he knewe aforehand his owne worke whych dothe make vs holy and blameles Wherfore the Pelagians error is iustely reprehended wyth thys testimony But we saye saye they that our God knew aforehād nothyng but fayth wherby we begynne to beleue and that for thys fayth sake he chase and predestinated vs before the world was made that nowe we myght be holy blameles thorough his grace and workyng But let them heare also in this testimony where he sayeth we are made heires predestinate according to the purpose of him that worketh al
We say sayeth he thy name be sanctifyed not as tho we wyshed vnto God that he myght be sanctifyed thorough our prayers but bycause we desyre of hym that his name maye be sanctifyed among vs. Furthermore of whome is God sanctifyed whyche he hymselfe sanctifyeth all for because he sayd be ye holy for I also am holye Leuit. 19. we do desyre and praye for thys that we whych are sanctifyed in baptisme maye continue in that whych we haue begonne And a litle after he disputing more of the same matter and teachynge vs to aske perseuerauÌ„ce of the Lorde whych he myght not do by any meanes iustely and truly excepte that also wer his gyft that this sanctificacion sayeth he maye continue among vs we pray vnto God and because that our Lorde iudge dothe threaten him Ioan. 5. whome he had healed quickened that he shoulde sinne nomore lest ani worse thing myght happen vnto him we make thys prayer continually Thys do we desyre bothe nyght and daye that the sanctificacioÌ„ and lyfe whiche is receyued thorough the grace of God maye be kept thorough his proteccion Therfore when we beynge sanctifyed do saye thy name be sanctifyed we do desyre of God as thys doctor vnderstandeth the matter perseueraunce in sanctification that is that we maye continue in sanctificacion For what other thynge is it to aske that we haue alredy receyued but only that he wyll also graunt vnto vs that we maye neuer fayle to haue the same As therfore the holy maÌ„ wheÌ„ he prayeth vnto God that he maye be holy dothe verely desyre that he maye continue holy euen so truely the chaste man also when he prayeth that he may be chaste the continent man that he may be coÌ„tinent the iuste that he maye be iuste the godly that he may be godly and other whych we defende against the Pelagians to be the giftes of God they do doubtles desyre thys that they maye continue in those good thynges whyche they knowe that they haue receyued Whych yf they receyue certeinly they receiue also perseuer aunce that great gyfte of God wherby hys other gyftes are preserued The seconde peticion What when we say thy kyngdome come do we desyre any other thynge but that it may come vnto vs also whych wee doubte not shall come vnto all saintes Therfore they also whyche are alreadye sanctifyed what praye they els but that they may continue in that sanctificacion whych is geuen them For the kyngdom of God shall not otherwyse come vnto them which certeinly shall not coÌ„e to any other but onlye to suche as endure vntyl the ende The .iii. Chapter The thyrde peticioÌ„ THe thyrd peticioÌ„ is this Thy wyl be done in heauen and in earth or as is red in many bokes is moste vsed of them that praye as in heauen so also in earth Whych many vnderstande as thy holy angels do thy wil so also we maye do the same But yonder doctor and martyr would haue the spirite fleshe to be vnderstand by heauen and earth and that we praye thys that bothe these beynge agâ—â—ed together we may do the wil of God He perceyued also an other meanyng to be in these wordes agreyng to the moste sounde fayth wherof we haue nowe spoken before that is that the faythful beyng cladde wyth the heaueÌ„ly man and therfore not vnworthely called by the name of heauen myght be vnderstande to praye for the infideles whych are yet earthy bearyng thorough their fyrste byrth the earthy man onely Wheras he dothe manyfestly declare that the begynning also of fayth is the gyft of God For asmuche as the holy churche dothe praye not onlye for the faythfull that fayth maye be encreased or coÌ„tinued in them but also for infideles that they maye begynne to haue fayth wherof they were vtterly destitute and against the whyche they also bare hatefull hartes But nowe we do not dispute of the begynnyng of faith wherof we haue spoken in the former boke plentefully but of that perseuerance whiche verelye the saintes that do the wyll of God do also desyre sayeng in their prayers Thy wyl be done For seyng that it is alreadye done in theÌ„ why desyre they that it may be yet done but only that they may continue in that they haue begon to be Notwithstandynge it maye here be sayd that the saintes desyre not that the wyll of God maye be done in heauen but that it may be done in earth as it is in heauen in earth that is to saye that it maye folowe heauen that is that man may folowe Angell or the infidele the faythfull and in this sence the saintes desyre that that may come to passe whych is not yet not that whych is should continue For altho men excelle in neuer so greate holynes yet are they not equall to the angels of God The wyl of god therfore is not yet done in them as it is in heauen Yf thys thynge be thus then not perseuerance but the begynnyng seameth to be desyred in that parte wherein we praye that of infideles meÌ„ may be made faythfull but in that parte wherin we desyre that men in doynge the wyll of God maye be equall to the angels of God when the saintes I saye prays for thys it is many fest that they pray for perseueraÌ„ce For no man attayneth that perfect blesse which is in the kyngdome except he shall continue vnto th end in that holynes whych he receiued in earthe The .iiii. Chapter THe fourth peticion is Gyue vs this daye oure dayly bread The forth peticion wherby the blessed Cipriane dothe shewe howe in this place also we maye vnderstande that perseueraunce is desyred For amonge other thinges he sayeth but thys breade we desyre to be geuen vs dayly lest we that are in Christ and daylye receyue the Eucharist for the meate of healthe should be separate from the body of Christe whiles by the meanes of some grenous faute we beyng absent and not coÌ„municatyng are forbydden the heauenly bread These wordes of the holy man of God do manyfestly showe that the saintes desyre of the Lord perseueraÌ„ce wheÌ„ wyth thys intent they saye gyue vs thys daye oure daylye breade that they should not be seperate from the bodye of Christ but that they myghte continue in that holynes wherin they shoulde committe no crime wherby they myght deserue to be separate from the same The .v. Chapter EYftlye we saye in the Lordes prayer The .v. peticion Forgyue vs our dettes as we forgyue our detters in the whiche only peticion persoueraÌ„ce is not founde to be asked For the synne wherof we desyre forgenenes are past but perseuer aÌ„ce whiche dothe make vs saffe for euer is necessarye for the tyme of thys present lyfe not yet for the tyme that is paste but for that is to come vntyl the ende of the same Neuerthe les it is necessary somthynge to coÌ„syder how in this peticion also these heretikes that came
earthe vnto whome should we gyue thankes for thys so great a benefyte but vnto the Lord our God that worketh the same whiche by the lyke benefyte delyueryng vs hath chosen vs out of the bottome of thys worlde and predestinated vs before the foundations of the worlde were layde The .xiiii. Chapter The doctrine of predestinacion ys no hinderaunce to preaching BUt they saye that the definition and determinaciō of predestinacion is contrary to profytable preaching as tho it had hyndered the preachyng Apostle Dyd not that teacher of the Gentyls in fayth and truthe many tymes cōmende predestination and neuertheles ceased not to preache the worde of god Because he said it is God that worketh in us bothe to wyll and worke euen of good wyl dyd he not therfore exhorte vs both to will and also to worke those thinges that please God Phi. 2. Or because he sayd he that hathe begonne in you the good worke Phi. 1. wyll verforme it euen vntyl the daye of Christ Iesu dyd not he councel men buthe that they should begynne and also continue vnto th ende For the Lorde himselfe cōmaunded men that they should beleue and sayeth beleue ye in God and beleue in me Joan. 14. and yet neither was hys sayeng false nor hys determinacion vaine where he sayeth No mā cōmeth vnto me that is no man beleueth in me excepte it were geuen hym of my father Joan. 6. Nor yet because this determinacion is true therfore is that commaundement vaine Why then do we thynke that the determinacion of predestinacion is vnprofytable seyng the selfe same scripture of God dothe commende it that do teache vs to frequente and vse all these namely preachyng cōmaundyng exhortyng rebukyng Dare any man say that God knewe not aforehande vnto whome he would gyue faith that they might beleue or that he knewe not aforhande whome he would gyue vnto hys sonne Jo. 6.7 that he should not lose one of them all whych yf he knewe aforehande he knewe aforehande vndoubtedly those hys benefites wherby he dothe vouchesaue to delyuer vs. Thys precestinacion of saintes is nothyng els what is predestinacion but for the foreknowlege and preparacion of the benefytes of God wherby they are moste certeinly delyuered as many as ar delyuered But as touchyng the rest where are they lefte but in the lumpe of perdiciō by the iusse iudgement of God wherin wer lest they of Tyrus Sidō whiche might also haue beleued if thei had sene those wonderfull sygnes of Christ But because it was not geuen them that they should beleue therfore that was also denyed them wherby they myght beleue Wherby it appeareth that some haue in the selfe nature a gyft of god naturally to vnderstande wherby they maye be moued to beleue yf they shal either heare wordes or sesygnes agreyng and conformable to their myndes and neuertheles yf they be not in the depe iugemēt of God seuered and parted frō the lompe of perdicion thorow the predestinacion of grace the selfe wordes and miracles of God are not applyed vnto them wherby they should beleue yf they either herde them or sawe them In the same lompe of perdicion were the Iues also lefte whyche could not beleue the great and manifest miracles that were wrought before their owne eyes But why they coulde not beleue the Gospell hathe declared sayeng Job 12. but when he had done so many myracles before them yet beleued not they on hym that the sayeng of Esaias that prophet myght be fulfylled that he spake Esa 53. Lorde who beleued oure sayeng and to whome is the arme of the Lorde opened Therfore could they not beleue because that Esaias sayeth agayne He hath blynded their eyes and hardened their herte that they shoulde not se wyth their eyes and vnderstande with their hertes and should be conuerted and I shoulde heale them The eyes therfore of them of Tyrus and Sidō were not so blynded nor their herte so hardened For they had beleued yf they had sene suche miracles as these sawe but it dyd neither profyte thē that they myght haue beleued for they were not predestinate of hym whose iudgementes are vnsercheable and hys wayes past finding out Rom. 11. neither should it haue hindered these that they could not beleue yf they had bē so predestinate that God would haue lyghtned thē beyng blynde and would haue taken from them their stony herte heyng hardened Neuertheles that whych the Lorde spake of the Tirians and Sidonians maye be vnderitande parhappes some other waye yet he doth vndoubtedly confesse that no man commeth vnto Christ except it shal be geuen hym and that thys is geuen vnto them whych were chosen in hym before the makyng of the worlde whyche dothe heare the worde of God not wyth the eares of the fleshe but with the eares of the harte And that not wythstandyng thys predestinaciō whych is also declared by the wordes of the gospel very manifestly did not let the Lord to say the words whiche I recited a lytle before both to moue vs to begynne beleue ye in God and beleue in me and also to continue sayeng Joh. 14. that we muste alwayes praye and not be wery Luce. 18. For they vnto whome it is geuen do bothe heare and do but they vnto whom it is not geuen do not whether they heare or they heare not For vnto you sayeth he it is geuen Math. 13. to knowe the mystery of the kyngdome of heauen but to them it is not geuen wherof one of these belonge to the mercy Psal 100 the other to the iudgement of hym vnto whome our soule doth saye O Lorde I wyl synge vnto thee mercy and iudgement Neither thē should the faith that continueth and goeth forwardes be hyndered by the preachyng of predestinacion that they maye heare that whyche behoueth them to heare and that they maye obey vnto whome it is geuen For how shal they hear wythout a preacher Nor yet by the preachyng of fayth that goeth forwardes and continueth vnto th ende shoulde the preaching of predestinacion be hyndered that he whych lyueth faythfully and obediētly should not for the same obedience be extolled as tho he had not receyued it but had it of hymselfe but that he whyche dothe glory might glory in the Lorde Nothing is our owne Cipriane For we oughte to glorye in nothynge for nothinge is our owne Thys thynge Cipriane moste faith fully perceyued and moste boldlye determined wherby he dyd vndoutedly pronounce that predestinacion was moste certeine For yf we ought to glory in nothynge forasmuche as no thynge is our owne certeinly we ought not to glory of obedience tho it had continued neuer so longe Neither ought it so to be coūted oures as tho it were not geuen vs from aboue And therfore the selfe perseueraunce is the gyfte of God whych euery christiā oughte to acknowlege that God knewe aforehande that he would gyue to hys called beyng called with
vile shauelyng Or els what thynge hathe goddes wrytten worde prohibite forbydden that was then cōmaūded to be done and practised I meane styl of the cōmon order for religiō Yf you can agayne saye any of these do in some particular matter and by goddes helpe you shal be answered But yf you can not truely deny but that Goddes voice and worde was so reuerently heard whē the churche of Englande was the true catholyke churche of Christ in reforming the cōmon order of religion that al thynges were approued and vsed except discipline that it cōmaūdeth and all thinges refrayned that it forbiddeth then muste I also conclude that the Church of England in the dayes of thaforenamed kinges was the true catholyke churche of Christ For the truthe sayeth he that is of God heareth goddes worde Ioh. 8. Ioh. 10. And agayne he sayeth my shepe heare my voice but the churche of Englande in the dayes of the sayde kynges dyd heare the worde of God and the voice of Christ Therfore the churche of Englande was then the true catholike Church of Christe Can you for shame you chyldren of the deuel and enemyes to all ryghtfulnes whych cease not to peruerte the strayght wayes of the Lorde Act. 13. denye any part of this argument Are you not dryuen for wante of the truthe to buylde agayne youre newe Babilon wyth shamefull lyes manyfest falshode and moste barbarous and cruel tyranny But paraduenture you wyll saye that in the dayes of kynge Edwarde we dyd not myngle water wyth the wyne in the Lordes Supper What then Dyd Christe in the instituciō of the same gyue either example or cōmaundement to mingle water wyth the wyne Dyd he not calle that whyche hys Apostles had dronke out of the cuppe math 26 mar 14. the frute of the vyne tree Is wyne alone the frute of the vynetre or wyne water mingled together But you saye that tholde wryters as S. Cipriane and other do make mencion of the myngled cuppe wyth wyne and water Dothe not the same Cipriane S. Aug. also with other teache more earnestly that infantes can not be saued wythout receyuyng theuchariste and for the same purpose allege Christes wordes excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drynke hys blood ye haue no lyfe in you Therfore lykewyse as ye leauynge in thys pointe Joh. 6. dyuerse other both Cipriane Aug. and all the hole catholyke churche of theyr tyme do yet thynke that neuertheles you are Christes churche And so wolde I also iuge of you and accepte you yf you gaue not many horrible and manyfest occasiōs to be rather wor thely counted the synagoges of Satan euen so do we moste iustely and truly beleue that the churche of Englande in the dayes of the sayd kynges was Christes true catholyke churche notwythstandynge it dyd not accordyng to the lybertie of the same myngle water wyth wyne not mythstandynge it dyd not annoynte infantes and ministres of the worde wyth oyle or omitted any suche lyke tradicion or ceremonye altho the same were mēcioned in the olde wryters For asmuche as it dyd neither obserue nor cōmaūde any thynge that is forbydden nor yet omytte or forbydde any thynge that is cōmaunded by the wrytten worde of God whyche alone is sufficiēt to gouerne the same true catholyke churche of Christ in al matters of religion 2. tim 3 necessary for saluacion But I appeale vnto thyne owne conscience gentle reader whether our aduersaries go not beyōde this lawfull lybertie The lybertie of the churche whyche consysteth in the alteracion or cuttynge of of suche tradicions as be eyther superfluous or supersticious accordyng as diuersite of tymes shall requyre For they vsynge a moste licentious and leude lybertie disanull goddes cōmaūdemētes to maintaine their owne tradicions and inuencions For they bothe do themselues Mat. 15 and also compell other to do that which God forbyddeth forbyd the whyche God by hys written worde cōmaun deth The true doctrine of the gospel touchynge remission of synnes eleccion vocation and iustificacion thef do corcupte wyth the leuen of their owne doctrine as I doubte not but that thou wylt manyfestly perceyue by reading of these bokes of S. Aug. Our sauiour Christ by expresse wordes cōmaunded all hys to drynke of his holy cuppe mat 26. but they by expresse wordes forbyd all excepte their annointed shauelynges syngynge or sayeng theyr masse to drynke of the cuppe Saint Marke by the spirite forseynge thys theyr cursed sacrilege dothe testefye mar 14. that they al drāke of the cuppe Dare they yet trifle which these scriptures as they were wont to do and to saye that all that were with Christ at hys last supper were prestes and that therfore they all dranke of hys cuppe I wyll not cōtende about wordes so that they vnderstande by prestes ministers of the newe testament but I pray you dyd any of them synge or say masse at Christes Supper that they might therby be admitted to drynke of his holy cuppe For they teache that none may drynke of the Lordes cup but priestes doynge masse and therfore on maundaye thursdaye when they haue but one masse they vse in great churches to minister to theyr priestes and all but onely the one kynde of breade Further yf Christe as they saye dyd at his laste supper gyue the Sacramentes of hys body and bloode onely to prestes howe dare they gyue any parte of them to any laye man By what authorite do they then gyue the one parte to women For I suppose the they wyll not confesse that either laye men or women be prestes But I praye you what can you saye you cōmytters of sacrilege to S. Paule whyche wrytynge to the hole churche of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10 11. cōmaunde as well the lordes Cuppe as the breade to be gyuē to al and not only to the ministers Are not you the selfe same whome Christ noted whē he sayd you breake the cōmaūdementes of God thorowe your owne tradicions math 15. Who gaue you lybertie to mumble in a straunge tonge vnto the people whiche is not onely agaynst the wryttē worde of God 1. Cor. 14 but also against common sence and reason The written worde sayeth that yf I praye wyth tonges my spirite or breath prayeth but my mynde is without frute The written worde sayeth yf thou blessest wyth the spirite that he whiche occupyeth the romthe of the vnlearned can not say Amen at the gyuyng of thankes seyng he vnderstādeth not what thou sayest The written worde sayeth that it were better in the congregacion to speake fyue wordes wyth the mynde to thinformacion of other then ten thousand wordes wyth the tonge The writtē worde cōmaundeth all thynges to be done to edefyeng But you cōpell your prestes to praye wyth the spirit or breath to gyue thākes in a straūge tonge to speake nothynge to thin formacion and edefyeng of other And the people you compell to saye Amen
therfore in his forknowledge chosen any mans workes which he should gyue hym but he hath in hys for knowlege chosen fayth so that he hath chosen hym whom he knewe aforhāde would beleue in hym to whō he myght geue the holy Goost that by workynge of good workes he myght also attaine to eternal lyfe I had not yet diligētly sought The cause why s Aug. continued solonge in this error Rom. 11. nor yet foūde out what maner a thing the election of grace was wherof the same Apostle sayeth The remnaunt are saued by the election of grace whych verely is no grace yf any merites at al go before it leste that whych is now geuen shoulde not be geuen accordyng to grace but rather as dewtye recompensed to merites Wherfore thys that I sayd immediatly For the same Apostle sayeth it is the selfe same God that worketh all in all 1. Cor. 12. but in no place it is sayde that God beleueth all in all and then after I added For in that we beleue it is our owne but in that we worke wel it is his that geueth the holy goost to them that beleue suerly I would not haue sayd thus yf I had then knowē that the self fayth had ben also founde amonge goddes gyftes whych are gyuen of the same spirite Both then are oures for the choise of wyl yet that notwythstandyng both are geuen thorowe the spirite of fayth and charitie For not charitie only but as it is wrytten Charitie with fayth frō God the Father and the Lorde Iesu Christ And where as a lytle after I sayd thus Ephe. 6. for to beleue and wyll is oures but to gyue to them that beleue and wyl power to worke well thorowe the holy goost by whome the loue of God is spred abrode in our hartes is his This is true but by the same rule both these are also his forbecause he doth prepare the wyl both are oures because they are not done excepte we be wyllyng And by this whiche I sayd also after For neither can we wyll except we be called and whē after callyng we shall wyl our wil and runnyng are not sufficient except God geueth strength to vs rūnyng and brynge vs thether whether he do cal vs And then after I concluded thus It is therfore manifest that it lyeth neither in the rūner nor in the wyller that we worke well but in God that hath mercye thys is a moste true sayeng Rom. 9. There is one peculier callīg that belōgeth only to gods chosen wherof is men on made Ro. 8. this is accordyng to the purpose of God But I dyd speake but lytle of that callyng whyche is wrought accordyng to the purpose of God For thys maner of callynge belongeth not to al that are called but onlye to the electe Therfore this that I sayd a lytle after For lykewyse as in them whome God hath chosen not workes but fayth begynneth the merite that they maye worke thorowe the gyft of God Euen so in them whome he condemne infidelitie and vngodlynes begynneth the merite of paine that by the self paine they may also worke wyckedly this I said moste truely but yet I sayd not that the merite of fayth was also the selfe gyft of God neither dyd I thynke it a thynge worthy to be enquyred for And in an other place For vpon whom sayd I he hath mercy he maketh hym to worke wel and whome he dothe harden he leaueth hym to worke euel But bothe that mercy is geuē to the merite of fayth goynge before and also thys harding to the precedynge wyckednes The whyche verely is true but yet we ought to haue serched further whether that also the merite of fayth do preuent gods mercy that is whether thys mercy is therfore only wrought in man because he was faythfull or whether it was also wrought that he myght be made faythfull 1. Timo. 1. For we reade as thapostle sayeth I haue opteined mercy that I myghte be made faythful he sayeth not because he was faythful It is then geuen vnto the faythful but it was also geuen that he myght be made faythfull Wherfore in an other place of the same boke I sayd most truly For yf not of workes but thorowe goddes mercy we be both called that we mai beleue and also when we beleue it is geuē vs that we maye worke well the Gentyls are not to be enuyed for this mercy neuerthelesse I dyd not there so diligently entreate of that callynge which is accordyng to goddes purpose as I ought to haue done The fourth Chapter YOu se verely what was then my iudgement of fayth workes althoo I traueled in the cōmendacion of god his grace in the which iugement I perceaue that these oure brethren are at thys present because they haue not so muche endeuoured thēselues to profyt and to go forwardes wyth me in readyng my bokes as they they haue in the onlye readyng of them The common fault of al papistes in redyng the doctores whyche gnawe only vpō their errors and depraue al that they haue writtē well as they do the scriptures For yf they had thus endeuored them selues they should haue founde this matter dissolued accordyng to the truth of the holy scriptures in the first boke of the two which I wrote in the begynninge of my Byshopryke vnto Simplitianus of blessed remembraunce by shop af the Churche of Millane successour vnto S. Ambrose except peraduenture they neuer sawe them Which yf it be so I pray you cause that they mai haue the sight of thē I dyd fyrste speake of the fyrst of these two bokes in the second boke of my retractacions where as my wordes by these Amōge the bokes sayd I which I made beyng Byshoppe I wrote the first two vnto Simplicianus byshop of the churche of Millane the successour of the moste blessed Ambrose of diuers questions wherof I bestowed two in my first boke that touche matters that are entreated to the Romanes The first of these questiōs is of that which is wrytten what shal we thē say is the lawe synne God forbyd Rom. 7. vnto that place where he sayeth who shal delyuer me frō this body of death The grace of God thorow Iesu Christ our Lord. These wordes of the Apostle the lawe is spiritual but I am carnal and the reste which declare the battayle betwene the spirite and the fleshe I dyd so expounde as thoo thapostle had described a man beyng yet vnder the lawe and not vnder grace For longe after I came to the knowlege that those wordes and that more truely myght be also vnderstand of the spiritual mā The latter question in this boke reacheth from that place where he sayeth neither was it so wyth her only Rom. 9. but also when Rebecca was with chylde by one I meane by our Father Isaac vntyl these wordes where he sayeth except the Lorde of hoostes hadde left vs seede we should haue ben made
ther be any suche lyke But he whome thapostle reprehended dyd not swelle agaynst brute beastes nor agaynst any other mā for any natural gyft whiche maye be also in the moste wicked but he dyd swell for some good gyft that apperteyned to a godlye lyfe ascribyng it to hym selfe and not to God when he deserued to heare who doth preferre the what haste thou that thou hast not receyued For althoo it be in the possibilite of nature to haue faythe do it therfore folowe that she also hathe fayth in dede For aldo it be in possibilite for all men to beleue Rom. 10. 2. Thes 3. yet al men do not beleue in dede For thapostle sayeth not what canst thou haue which thou hast not receiued that thou myghtest be in possibilite to haue but he sayeth what haste thou that thou hast not receyued Therefore to be in a possibilite both to haue fayth charitie is cōmō to the nature of mā The peculiar grace of gods electe but to haue faith and charitie in dede is peculiar to the grace of the faythful That nature therfore wherin is geuen vs a possibilite to haue fayth doth not preferre one man before an other but the selfe fayth is it that prefer reth the faythful from and aboue the vnfaythful And therfore wher it is sayde who doth preferre the what hast thou that thou haste not receyued Who so euer dare saye I haue fayth of my selfe I haue not therfore receyued it doth certeynlye resist this moste manifest truthe not as tho to beleue or not beleue were not in the choise of mans wil but the wil in the electe is prepared of the Lorde And therfore it doeth also appertaine to the selfe faith which is in the wil. For who hath preferred the What hast thou that thou haste not receyued The .vi. Chapter MAny do hear the word of truthe but some do beleue it and some do resyst it These therfore wyl beleue but the other wyl not beleue Who is ignoraunt of thys who do deny this The wyl of some is prepared the will of other is not prepared of the Lorde to beleue Rom. 11. But for asmoche as the wyl of some is prepared of the Lorde to beleue of other some it is not we muste certeinly put a difference betwene that that commeth of his mercy that that commeth of his iugemēt That sayeth thapostle which Israel sought he hath not obtained but yet the election hath obtained The remnaūt are blynded as it is written God hath geuen them the spirite of vnquietnes Esa 6 eyes that they should not se and eares that they should not heare euen vnto thys daye And Dauid sayeth let theyr table be made a snare to take them withal and an occasion to fal Psal 68 and a rewarde vnto them let their eyes be blynded that they se not bowe downe their backes alwayes Beholde here mercy and iudgement mercy in the eleccion which hath obtayned goddes mercy but iudgement in the reste which are blynded and yet the one beleued because they wold the other beleued not because they would not Mercye therfore and iudgement were wrought in the selfe wylles For thys eleccion cōmeth of grace and not of merites For he sayd afore euen so at thys tyme Rom. 11. ther is a remnaunt ** saued thorowe the election of grace Yf it be of grace then is it not of workes For then grace should not be grace That thē that the election haue obtained they haue obtained it frely For ther went no thyng of theirs before whyche they fyrst gaue god hath saued vs for no thynge Psal 55. that they myght be recompensed For he hath saued them for nothyng But the reste which were blynded were recompensed as that is also there declared Al the wayes of the Lorde are mercy and truthe His wayes are vnsercheable Therfore both hys mercy wherby he dothe frely delyuer and also his truthe wherby he doth iustely iuge are vnsercheable The .vii. Chapter BVt peraduēture they say The Apostle do put a difference betwene fayth and workes he sayeth in dede that grace cōmeth not of workes but he sayeth not that it commeth not yf fayth Yt is euen so Notwitstandyng Iesus sayth that euen faythe also is the worke of God cōmaundeth vs to worke the same Ioh. 6. For the Iewes sayd vnto hym what shal we do to worke the workes of God Iesus answered and sayd vnto them This is the worke of God that ye beleue in hym whome he sent So then thapostle doth distincte fayth and workes as in the two kyngdomes of the Hebrues Iudas was distincte from Israel when as yet the selfe Iudas was Israel Therfore of fayth sayeth he that a man is iustified and not of workes because the selfe fayth is fyrste geuen wherby the reste are obtayned whiche are properlye called workes wherin men do lyue vprightly For he him selfe also sayeth you are saued by grace thorowe fayth Ephe. 2. and that not of your selues but it is the gyfte of God that is that I sayd by faith not of your selues but it is the gift of God And now fayth sayeth he cōmeth not of workes lest paraduenture any man myght be extolled For it is a common sayeng Therfore he deserued to haue faith bycause he was a good man also before he had fayth Acto 10. Rom. 10. S. Aug. meaneth that before Cornelius had the knowlege and faith that Christ was incarnate that he had dyed rysen agayne c. For Corne lius had the same fayth in Christ to cum that Abraham and the fathers were saued by For it is impossible forny to be saued without any maner of fayth in thonly mediator Christ For no man commeth to the father but by hī Ioh. 14. in Christ also is eternal life without whom is nothing but eternal death Ioh. 3. Ioh. 6. Esa 54. Which maye be sayd of Cornelius whose almes dedes were accepted and his prayers herde before he beleued in Christe and yet he gaue not almes neither prayed without al maner of fayth For how dyd he cal on him in whō he dyd not beleue But yf he coulde haue ben saued wythout the fayth of Christ thē should not thapostle Peter the chief buylder haue ben sent vnto him to haue buylded hym not withstandyng except the Lord shal buylde the house the buylders labour in vayne that buylde it And yet you saye we haue fayth of oure selues other thinges that apperteyne to the workes of ryghteousnes we haue of the Lorde As thoo fayth appertayned not to the buyldyng as tho the foūdacion I say belonged not to the buyldynge But yf it do chieflye and princypally belong to the buyldynge the buylder in preachyng do labour in vayne except the Lorde by his mercye do buylde the same within What soeuer therfore good worke Cornelius wrought both before he beleued in Christ and when he beleued and also after he dyd beleue ought to be
lyght of the catholyke fayth thys doctour dothe manyfestly testefye that the daungers and tentaciōs of sinning are to be feared vntyl the puttyng of of thys body after the whych no man shal suffer any suche thynges But and yf he dyd not thys wytnesse whē would any christiā doubt of thys matter How then to a man that is fallen and in the same falle myserably endynge thys lyfe and goynge vnto paynes dewe to suche how I say should it not haue ben exceding profytable for hym yf he had ben takē out of the place of tentaciō by death before he had fallen And thus yf we set asyde rashe contencion thys question touchyng hym that was taken awaye that malyce should not chaunge hys vnderstandyng is fully aunswered Neither ought therfore the boke of wysedome to haue suffered thys iniury whyche haue so many yeres ben redde in the churche of Christe wherin this sentence is also redde because it is agaynst them whych are deceyued in thextollyng of mans merites Who be the ennemys of grace ennemyes agaynst the moste manyfest grace of God whych do appeare chiefly in yonge infantes amonge whome for as muche as some departe thys lyfe beyng baptised and other without baptisme is euidently declared mercy iudgement but mercy that is frely gouen and iudgement that is dewe For yf men should not be iudged accordynge to the workes of theyr lyfe whych they had before deathe but accordynge to suche as they should haue had yf they had lyued longer he had receiued no benefyt whych was taken awaye that malyce should not chaunge hys vnderstandyng it should nothynge haue profyted them whych dye in theyr synne yf they had dyed before whiche no christian shall dare afferme The catholike faith is contrary to the pelagians errors Wherfore oure brethren whyche wyth vs in the defence of the catholyke fayth do impugne the pernicious error of the Pelagians ought not so muche to fauour this opinion of the Pelagians wherby they thynke the grace of God to be geuen accordyng to our merites insomuche that they go aboute to destroye thys true auncient and christian sentence he was takē away that malice should not chaunge his vnderstandynge because they can not abyde the hearyng of it and to afferme that opinion whyche we thought no man would haue beleued no nor yet haue dreamed that is that euery dead mā should be iuged accordyng to suche workes as he should haue done if he had liued longer in the bodye Thus it appeareth that that whyche we afferme that the grace of God is not geuen accordyng to our merites is inuincible insomuche that wytty men ropugning against thys veritie wer compelled to afferme that the Pelagians errors ought to be banyshed from the eares and thoughtes of all men The .xv. Chapter Christ ys a cleare light af predestination THe saueour himselfe the mediatour betwene god and men the mā Christ Iesus is also a moste cleare lyght of predestinacion grace and that he myght so be by what merites of his goyng before eyther of workes or of fayth dyd the nature of man that was in hym purchase thys Let it be declared I praye you whereby that man deserued to be assumpte of the worde coeternal to the father in the vnitie of persone the he might be the only begottē sonne of God Dyd there any maner of goodnes of hys go before What dyd he aforhande what beleued he what axed he that he myght attayne to this vnspeakable dignitie begā not the selfe mā whych was made and assumpte of the worde to be the only sonne of God euen from the tyme that he began to be man Dyd not that woman full of grace conceiue the only sonne of God Was not the only sonne of God borne of the holy goost and the virgine Mary not by the luste of the fleshe but by the singular gyft of God was it to be feared lest that man should syn thorough fre choise whē he should come to the yeres of discrecion Or had he not therfore frewyll that somuche the more that he could not serue synne For all these most wōderful gyftes and other yf ther be any more that maye be counted moste iustely and peculiarly hys mans nature that is our nature receyued in hym after a syngular maner wythout any merytes of hys goynge before Let man here dispute with God yf he dare say why haue not I also the lyke and yf he shal thus be answered O mā what arte thou that disputest with God and wyll not so be satisfyed but wyl augment his impudency and saye why do I heare O man what art thou Rom. 9. Seyng I am that I heare that is to saye a man and so is he also of whome I speake but why am not I also that that he is For thorough grace cam he to this excelient dignitie why is grace dyuerse where as nature is one Surely ther is no acceptiō of persons wyth God Acto 10. What I say not a christian but what madde man would speake these wordes In our heade then maye appeare vnto vs the selfe fountaine of grace from whence it doth spreade it selfe into all hys membres accordynge to the measure of euery one Ephe. 4. By the same grace is euery mā from the begynnyng of hys fayth made a christiā by the whych that man from hys begynning was made Christ of the same spirite is man also borne agayne wherof thys man was fyrst borne thorowe the same spirite there is wrought in vs remissiō of synnes by the whyche it was wrought in hym that he should haue no sinne God knewe aforehande that he would do these thynges wythout al doubt The selfe same is therfore the predestinacion of sayntes whiche dyd moste euidently appeare in the moste holy whych who can denye that do ryghtlye vnderstande the wordes of truthe For we haue learned that the Lord of glory him selfe inasmuche as mā was made the sonne of God was predestinate The doctor of the Centyls do crye in the begynnyng of hys Epistles Rom. 1. Paule the seruaunt of Iesu Christ called an Apostle put a part for the Gospel of Godwhych he promysed by his prophetes in his holy Scriptures of his sonne which was made vnto hym of the sede of Dauid after the fleshe whych was predestinate the sonne of God in power by the spirite of sanctification of the resurrection of the dead Iesus was therfore predestinate that he whych after the fleshe should be the sonne of Dauid myght be neuertheles in power the sonne of God by the spirite of sanctification because he was borne of the holy goost and of the virgine Mary The selfe same is that syngular takynge of mās nature vnspekeably wrought of God the worde that the sonne of God and the sōne of mā together and the sonne of mā for mās sake that is taken and the sonne of god for the only begottē sake that dothe take should truly and properly be called
herte godly thoughtes wherby he maye haue fayth Gala. 5. that maye worke by loue The whych goodnes to receyue kepe and in the same to go forwardes cōtinually vnto th end we are not able to thinke ani thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3 ▪ but oure ablenes cōmeth of God in whose power ar both oure hertes and thoughtes Wherfore of two infātes that are bothe fast wrapped together in the bādes of original synne why thys is taken and he forsaken All are not called alyke of two vngodly persones that be nowe of age and discrecion why thys is called after suche a maner that he maye folowe the caller but the other either is not called at al Of two godly persons or at the lest wise is not called after suche a sorte that he maye folowe the caller the iudgementes of God are vnsercheable Notwithstanding this ought to be moste certeine to the faythful that the one is of the nombre of the predestinate but the other is not For yf they had ben of vs sayeth one of the predestinate 1. Ioan. 2. whiche out of the Lordes breste dyd sucke thys secrete they had vndoubtedly continued wyth vs. What meaneth thys I praye you they were not of vs for yf they had ben of vs they had certeinly continued wyth vs Were they not both created of god bothe borne of Adam both made of the earthe and of hym whych said I haue made all breath Esay 57. Dyd they not both receyue soules of one and the selfe same nature Laste of all were they not bothe called and folowed the caller bothe of vngodly iustifyed and both renewed by the fountayne of regeneracion But yf he whych certeinly knew what he said should heare thys he might aunswere and say These are true and accordyng to all these thynges they were of vs neuertheles by a certeyne other differēce they were not of vs For yf they had ben of vs they should vndoubtedly haue continued wyth vs. But in conclusion what is thys difference God hys bokes are open Goddes boke let vs not turne awaye our face The deuine scripture dothe crye let vs therfore gyue eare They were not of them because they were not called accordynge to purpose Roma 8. They were not electe in Christ before the makyng of the world They were not made heires thorough hym Ephe. 1 They were not predestinate accordynge to the purpose of hym that worketh all thynges For yf they had bene so they had ben of the nombre of thē and should wythout all doubt haue continued wyth them For that I maye omitte to declare how possible it is for God What god can do yf he wyll to conuerte the willes of men vnto hys fayth that are turned from hym and are agaynst hym and so to worke in their hertes that they may not gyue place to any aduersities neither beyng ouercome by any maner of tentacion should departe frō hym Forasmuche as he can bryng this also to passe as the Apostle sayeth that he wyll not suffer them to be tempted 1. Cor. 10. aboue that they shal be able to beare The .ix. Chapter THat I maye therfore I saye omitte to declare this certeinly god could knowynge aforehande that they shoulde fall awaye haue taken them out of this lyfe before thys should haue happened Shall we returne agayne thether that we maye yet dispute how folyshly it is sayde that deade men shal be iudged also for those synnes whyche God knewe aforehande that they would do yf they had lyued The whych is so repugnaūt to a christian vnderstanding and vtterly to mans iudgement that I am also ashamed to confute it For why may it not be said that the gospel it selfe bothe was preached in vayne wyth so great labor and sufferyng of the saintes and is also yet so preached yf mē might be iudged also without the hearing of the gospell accordyng to the disobedience or obedience which god knewe aforehāde that they shoulde haue had yf they had herde it Luce. 10◠Neither should Tyrus and Sidō haue ben damned altho more easelye thē were those vnbeleuyng cyties wherin the myracles and signes of the Lorde Christ were wrought For yf they hadde ben wrought amonge them thei had done penāce in ashes and sackeloth as the wordes of the truthe do testifie in the whych hys wordes the Lorde Iesus do declare vnto vs the depe mistery of predestinacion For yf it shal be demaunded of vs why so great miracles were wrought amonge them whyche beholdynge them would not beleue and were not wrought amonge them which should haue beleued yf they had sene them what shall we aunswere Shall we make that aunswere whych we haue before made in an other boke where as I aunswered to syre certeine questions of the Pagants neuertheles wythout any preiudice of other causes whyche maye be founde out by wyse men For when it was demaūded why Christ came after so many ages I made thys aunswer as ye knowe that in those times and in those places whē wheras the gospell was not preached he knewe aforehāde that they would all be suche at the preachyng therof as were manye in hys corporall presence whyche would not beleue in him Io. 11.12 no not after he had raysed vp the deade In like maner a lytle after in the same boke in the same question what maruel is it said I forasmuche as Christ dyd knowe the worlde to be so full of infideles in the formar ages This answer may serue for our tyme also that he would not and that vp on good cause preache vnto them whych he knewe aforehāde would neither beleue his wordes nor myracles Certeinly we can not saye thus of Tyrus and Sydon and in them we knowe that these iugemētes of God do appertaine to those causes of predestinacion wythout preiudice of whyche hydde causes I sayd that I made then this aunswere For it is an easye matter to atruse the infidelite of the Iues that spronge of fre wyll The frutes of frewyll Math. 11. whyche would not beleue so great miracles wrought amonge them Which the Lord rebukyng reproued and sayd wo be to the Lorozaim and Gethsaida for yf the myracles had bē wrought in Tyrus and Sydon whych haue ben wrought in you they woulde longe ago haue done penaunce in ashes and sackclothe But are we able to saye that the people also of Tyrus and Sidon would not haue beleued yf suche myracles had ben wrought amonge them or els that they should not haue beleued yf they had ben done amonge them The Lorde hym selfe doth wytnes that they should haue repēted with great humilite yf so be those sygnes of Goddes myracles had bene wrought among them And neuertheles they shal be punyshed in the daye of iudgemēt altho wyth a lesser punyshment then those cyties that would not beleue by the miracles that were wrought amonge them For the Lord sayeth after neuertheles
be sayd what remayneth there but that we should blynde contencion set apart acknowlege and cōfesse that the grace of God is not geuen for our merites Thennemies of grace are uone of the catho lyke churche whyche the catholyke churche do defende against the Pelagians heresye And thys maye we perceyue by a more euident truthe chefely in yongel chyldren For neither is God compelled by desteny either to helpe these infantes or not to helpe those forasmuche as they haue both one cause neither yet shall we thynke that humaine matters in yonge chyldren when reasonable soules shall be either damned or delyuered are not gouerned bi goddes prouidēce but by casual fortune Seyng that not so muche as one sparowe doth fall vpon the earth Mat. 10. wythout oure fathers wyll that is in heauen or that the dyeng of chyldrē wythout baptisme should be so imputed to the negligence of the parētes that goddes iudgementes wrought no thynge in that matter as tho they themselues which by this meanes do myserably dye had chosen to thē selues by theyr owne wyll suche negligent parentes of whom they myght be borne Goddes iugententes in chyldren What should I speake of thys that some tyme the infant gyueth vp the goost before he can be holpen by the mynistery of hym that do baptise For often tymes when the parentes haue made haste and the ministers were redy that the infant myght be baptised yet God would not haue it to be baptysed whych dyd not kepe it alyue that it myght be baptysed What should I speake also of thys that somtyme the infantes of infidels maye be holpen by baptisme that they should not go into perdicion and the infantes of the faythful can not be holpen by baptisme Wherin is certeinly derlared that before God there is no respecte of persons For then he would rather delyuer the yonge chyldren of hys worshippers then of hys ennemyes The .xiii. Chapter BVt nowe seyng we intreate of the goodnes of perseuerance what meanes this that one beyng at deathes dore is holpen that he should not dye wythout baptisme and an other that is baptised is not holpen that he myghte dye before he fall Except paraduenture we wyl yet herken vnto that absurdite wherby it is auermed that it doth nothynge profyte any man to dye before he fall because he shal be iudged according to those dedes that God knewe aforehande that he would do yf he dyd lyue Who can paciently heare who can abyd thys peuishe opiniō the doth so excedyngly repugne agaynst the holsome fayth And neuertheles they that wyl not confesse the the grace of God is not geuē accordyng to our merites are constrayned to afferme thys But they that wyll saye that euery one of the deade shal be iudged accordynge to those dedes whych God knewe aforehāde that euery one woulde do yf he lyued perceiuyge wyth howe manyfest falshode and great absurdite thys is affermed there is nothyng lefte wherfore they should saye that whiche Pelagius condemned What opiniō the churche cōpelled pelagius to condemne whych the church caused hym to condēne that the grace of God was geuen for our merites Seyng they perceiue that yonge chyldren are taken out of thys world some beyng not regeuerat vnto eternal death but other that are regenerate vnto eternall lyfe And amonge them also that are regenerate some do departe hence perseueryng to th end other are kept here vntyl they may fall awaye whych certeinly should not haue fallen yf they had departed hence before they dyd fall And agayne some that are fallen do not departe thys lyfe before they maye repent whych certeinly should haue peryshed yf they had departed this lyfe before they had repented Wherby it is playnly enough beclared that the grace of God aswel to begynne as to continue also vnto th ende is not geuen accordynge to our merites but is gyuen accordyng to hys moste secrete wyl and the same also moste iuste most mercyful moste wyse For whome he hath predestinate Ro. 8.11 them hath he also called wyth that callyng wherof it is sayd The gyftes and callyng of God are suche that it can not repent hym of them No man wyth certein affirmacion can be iudged of mē to belong vnto thys callyng before he shall departe out of thys world but in thys lyfe whych is a tētacion vpō earth he that semeth to stande let hym take hede that he fall not i. Cot. 10. For therfore as we sayde before by the moste prouident and forseyng wyl of God they that shal not continue are myngled amōge them that shall continue that we might learne not to be hye minded but to make oure selues equall to them of the lower sorte Rom. 12. to worke our owne saluacion wyth feare tremblyng For it is God that worketh in vs both to will Phi. 2. and also to worke euen of good wyll We wil then but it is God that worketh in vs also to wyll we worke then but it is God that do also worke in vs the worke euen of good wyll It is expediet for vs both to beleue this and also to confesse thys Thys is godly thys is true that our confession maye be humble and lowly that all may be ascribed vnto God We thynking beleue thinking we speake thynkyng we do what soeuer we do but as touchynge that that apperteine vnto the waye of godlynes 2. Cor. 3. true worshyp of God we ar not able to thinke any thing as of oure selues but oure ablenes cōmeth of God For our owne hert and oure owne thoughtes are not in our owne power wherfore the same Ambrose whych taught this sayd also Ambro. who is so blessed that in hys herte do alwayes ascende But wythout Goddes helpe howe can thys be done certeinly by no meanes Furthermore he sayeth vpon the same scripture Blessed is the man whose helpe cōmeth of the O Lorde Psal 83. whose herte is bent towardes heauen That Ambrose myght speake thys he dyd not only reade it in the holy scriptures but he felt also the same in his herte as we ought wythout all doubt to beleue of that man Therfore that whych is spoken in the Sacramentes of the faythfull that we should lyfte vp our hertes vnto the Lord is the gyft of the Lorde For the whyche gyft they vnto whome those wordes are spoken Thinfe you that this admonicion was in a straunge tōge spoken to so me lytle boye stan dyng at an altares ende Collo 3. are admonished by the priest to gyue thākes vnto the Lorde our God after whyche wordes they make aunswere that it is both mete ryght that they should so do For asmuche then as oure owne herte is not in our owne power but is holpen wyth Goddes helpe that it maye ascende and be fired vpon suche thynges that are aboue where as Christ is syttynge at the right hande of God and not vpon suche thynges as are vpon
that calling wherof it is sayd Callyng the gyftes and callynge of God ar suche Rom. 11. that it can not repente hym of them This is therfore the predestinacion whych we do faythfullye and humbly preache And this notwythstande the same teacher and doer which both beleued in Christ S. Aug. preached predestinacion and also dyd continually lyue in holye obedience euen vnto the suffering of death for Christes sake dyd not therfore cease from preachyng the Gospel exhorting to fayth and godlye workes and from the selfe perseueraunce vnto th ende because he had sayd that we ought to glory in nothynge forasmuche as nothyng was oures wherin he dyd moste clearly set out the true grace of God that is whych is not geuē for our merites whych God knew aforehande that he would gyue By these wordes of Cipriane predestinacion is vndoubtedly cōmended whych yf it dyd not hynder Cipriane from preachyng obedience certeinly neither ought it to hynder vs. Wherfore altho we preach that obedience is the gyfte of God yet do we exhorte men vnto the same But to them that do obediently heare the exhortacion of the truth the selfe gyft of God is gyuen that is to heare obediētly but they that do not heare after that maner vnto them it is not gyuen For it is not euery man but it is Christ that sayeth no man cōmeth vnto me Ioh. 6. except it were geuen hym of my father Math. 13 And vnto you it is gyuen to knowe the mystery of then kyngdome of heauen but to them it is not gyuen And of continencye he sayeth all men can not away with that sayeng Math. 19 saue they to whōe it is gyuen And when thapostle dyd exhorte the maried folkes vnto the chastitie of wedlocke 1. Corin. 7 I would all men were sayeth he as I am my selfe but euery man hathe his proper gift of God one after this sort an other after thatr where as he dothe sufficiently declare that not onlye continēcy is the gyft of god but the chastite also of the maried Seyng therfore these thynges are true Chastitie in mariage we do exhorte vnto thys asmuche as we can and as muche as God gyueth to euery one of vs. For thys is also hys gyft in whose hande are bothe we and our wordes Wherupon thapostle sayeth Accordyng to the grace of God geuen to me 1. Corin. 3. as a wyse buylder I haue layde the foundacion and in an other place he sayeth euen as the Lorde hath geuen to euery man I haue planted Apollo hath watered but God gaue thencreace So then neither is he that planteth any thynge neither he that watereth but God that geueth thencrease And thus as he dothe exhorte and preache truely whyche haue receyued the gyft so to do euen so vndoutedly he dothe obediently heare the exhorter and preacher whych had receyued thys gyfte Here of commeth it that when the Lorde dyd speake vnto them whych had their carnall eares open he sayd neuertheles he that hath eares to heare Luce. 8. let hym heare whyche he knewe moste certeinly that all had not But of whome they haue these eares of hearyng who so euer haue them the Lord him self doth shewe where he sayeth I wyl gyue them an hart to knowe me and hearing eares Then the eares of hearyng It is the peculiar gyft of thelect to heare the gospel obediētly is the selfe gyfte of obeyng the whiche who that had myghte come to hym vnto whome no man commeth except it were gyuen hym of his father We therfore do exhorte and preache and they that haue eares of hearyng do heare vs obediently but they that haue them not it happeneth vnto them that which is written that they hearyng may not heare that is hearing with the eares of the body maye not heare wyth the consent of the herte But why these haue eares of hearinge and the other haue not that is whi it is gyue to them of the father that they maye come to the sonne but to thother it is not geuē who hath knowen te mynde of the Lorde or who was hys counseller Or what art thou O mā that disputest wyth God Ro. 11.9 Should it therfore be denied that is manyfest because that can not be comprehended whych is secrete Should we therfore saye I saye that it is not true whyche we manifestly perceyue to be true because we can not fynde out why it is true The .xv. Chapter Predestinacion is no hinderaunce to rebuking or correcting BVt they say as you wryt that no man can be styrred vp wyth the profyt of rebukyng Yf it should be preached in thassemble of the churche in the hearynge of a multitude The determinate sentence of the wyll of God touchyng predestinacion is thus That some of you dyd come from infydelitie to fayth when ye receyued the wyll to obey or maye continue in fayth after ye haue receyued perseuerance but as for the reste of you that do remayne in the delectacion of synne you haue therfore not yet rysen because the helpe of the merciful grace haue not yet raised you Neuertheles yf any of you be not yet called whome God hath predestinate by hys grace to be chosen ye shall receyue the same grace wherby you maye wyl and be chosen But yf any of you do nowe obey The wordes of an aduersary and be predestinate to be reiecte the power to obey shal be takē from you that you maye leaue obedience But these theyr wordes ought not to discourage vs from confessynge the grace of God that is whych is not geuen accordynge to our merites and from cōfessing the same grace to be geuē accordyng to thys predestinacion of saintes Lykewyse as we ar not discoraged from cōfessyng the aforeknowlege of God yf any man should preache of it vnto the people after thys maner that he would say whether ye now liue godly or vngodly ye shal be suche hereafter as God knewe aforehand that ye should be eyther good yf he knew ye should be good or euel yf he knewe ye should be euell For yf after the hearynge of thys doctrine many be turned vnto slothefulnes and negligēce and beyng ready from labour to luste do folowe theyr owne concupiscences Should it be therfore thought that that were false which was spoken of the foreknowlege of God Shall not they be good howe vngodly nowe so euer they lyue whiche God knewe aforhande should be good but yf he knewe thē aforehande to be euell shall they not be euel how Godlye so euer they seame nowe to be There was one in our monastery whyche beyng rebuked of the brethren because he dyd certeine thynges that oughte not to be done and omitted cectein thinges which he should haue don made aunswere and sayd what so euer I am nowe I shal be suche a one as God knewe aforehāde that I should be Whych vndoubtedlye sayd the truthe yet by thys true speakyng dyd not
awaye his people whych he knewe aforehande And that he myghte declare that ther was a remnaunt left thorowe the grace of God not thorowe the merites of their workes he added afterwardes either wote ye not what the scripture sayeth of Glias howe he maketh intercession to God against Israel and so forth But what sayeth the aunswere of God agayne to hym sayeth he I haue reserued vnto my selfe seuen thousande men 3. Re. 19. whych haue not bowed the knee to Baal For he sayde not there are reserued for me or they haue reserued themselues for me but I haue reserued vnto my selfe And therfore he sayeth euen so at thys tyme the remnaunt are saued thorowe theleccion of grace But yf it be of grace then is it not of workes For then were grace no more grace And he ioynyng those wordes which I haue nowe before wrytten and aunsweryng to thys question sayd what then Israel hath not obtayned that he soughts No but yet thelection hath obtayned it the remnaunt are blynded Therfore in thys election and in these remnauntes whych are lefte thorow thelectiō of grace he wold haue the people to be vnderstande whome God had not therfore caste awaye because he knewe them aforehande Thys is that election wherby he chase whome he would in Christ before the makyng of the worlde that they myght be holye and blameles in hys syght in charitie predestinating them to make them hys sonnes by adoption Noman therfore that vnderstandeth these thynges is permitted either to denye or to doubt that thapostle dyd signifye predestinacion when he sayde God hath not cast awaye hys people whome he knewe before For he knew before a remnaunt whych he would saue thorowe thelection of Grace that is therfore to saye he dyd predestinate for vndoubtedly yf he dyd predestinate he knewe before for to predestinate is to know afore that whych he hymselfe wold do What dothe then forbyd vs whē we read of the foreknowlege of God amōg some interpretors of Goddes word whych do entreate of the callynge of thelecte to vnderstande the same predestinacion But peraduenture they dyd rather couet to vse thys worde in thys matter bothe bycause it is more easy to be vnder stande and also bycause it dothe not only not repugne but rather a gree to the truthe whyche is preached of the predestinacion of grace Thys I am assured of Erronius disputers that no mā wych oute errour could dispute agaynst thys predestinacion which we defende accordyng to the holye scriptures The .xix. Chapter NEuertheles I suppose that they which require the iudgementes of interpretours in this matter ought to be satisfied wyth the authoritie of holy Cipriane and Ambrose Cipriane Ambrose men notablye cōmendably knowen in the christian fayth and doctrine whose testimenies that are so manyfest we haue alleged that is that they beleuyng the grace of God to be free in euery point as it ought to be beleued myght preache the same by all meanes as it ought to be preached and also that they should not thynke the same preachyng of grace to be cōtrary to that preaching wherby we exhorte the slothful or rebuke the euel Because that these men also when they dyd preache the grace of God after such maner that one of them sayd we ought to glory in nothing for asmuch as nothyng is our owne the other sayd that our owne herte oure owne thoughtes were not in oure owne power neuertheles they ceased not both to exhorte and also to rebuke that the commaūdementes of God myght be obserued Neither were they afrayed that it should be obiected agaynst them why do you exhorte vs Why do you rebuke vs yf we haue no good thynge of oure owne and yf oure owne herte be not in our owne power These holye men could not be afrayed leste that these thynges should be obiected agaynst them wherby they vnderstode that it was geuen to very fewe that they myghte receyue the doctrine of saluacion not by the preachyng of any man but by the Lorde hymselfe or els by the Angels of heauen but that it was geuen to many that they myght beleue God thorowe men Neuertheles by what so euer meane goddes worde is preached vnto man vndoutedly it is the gyft of God that any should so heare that he maye obey the same Wherfore thaforsayd moste excellent interpreters of goddes worde dyd both preache the true grace of God as it ought to be preached that is such grace as no mās merites do preuent and also dyd in stantlye exhorte men to kepe God his commaundementes that they whych had the gyfte of obedience myght heare what cōmaūdemēts they ought to obeye For yf any maner of merites of ouers do preuent or go before goddes grace Certeinlye it is either the merite of some dede or of some worde or of some thought wherein is vnderstande also the selfe good wyll But he whiche sayd that we ought to glory in nothynge forasmuche as nothing is our owne dyd briefly cōprehend al kindes of merites but he the sayd that our owne herte and our thoughtes wer not in our owne power dyd neither passe ouer dedes nor wordes For there is neither word nor dede of mā that do not procede from the cogitacion of the herte But what could the most glorious martyr and moste eloquent doctor Cipriane do more in thys matter then he dothe whē he teacheth vs that we ought also to praye in the Lordes prayer for thennemyes of the christian faythe whereas he dothe also declare what he thought of the begynnyng of fayth that it was also the gyft of God sheweth that the churche of Christe do dayly pray for perseuerance vnto th end because that God doth geue the also but only to them that haue cōtinued The blessed Ambrose in lyke maner when he dyd expounde that which Luke theuangelist sayd Ambrose it semed also good vnto me It may be sayeth he that that semed not good to him alone whych he sayeth semed good vnto hym For not by mans wyll only this semed good but as it pleased him that speaketh in me Christ whych doth so worke that that whiche is good maye also seme good to vs for vpon whom he hath mercy him dothe he also cal And therfore he that foloweth Christ mai beyng demaūded why he would be a christian aunswere thus it semed also good vnto me whych answer whē he maketh he denyeth not that it semed good vnto God For the wyll of man is prepared of the Lorde For it cōmeth of the grace of God that God maye be glorifyed of hys saint In lyke maner in the same worke that is in therposiciō of the same gospell when he should come to that place wheras the Samaritanes would not receyue the Lorde goyng to Ierusalem Learne also sayeth he that he would not receyue them that were not conuerted wyth a symple mynde For yf he had would he had made them that were wythout deuocion deuoute But why they